This invention relates to a general purpose type of releasable attachment apparatus having a multiplicity of line attachment applications.
Attachments to synthetic and natural fiber monofilamentary, braided or twisted lines, leaders, ropes, cables and metallic wires, hereinafter collectively referred to as lines, exhibit both common and specific problems related to a particular form of attachment. A difficulty commonly experienced, for example, is that the introduction of a knot will considerably reduce the strength of the line. Moreover, knots tend to tighten with use and become increasingly difficult to remove in those applications where detachments are periodically required. And, of course, increasing line diameters result in difficult knot formation and may even require the use of special clamps and tools when forming an attachment.
Specific problems include knot slippage in monofilamentary lines, especially when joined lines are of unequal diameter. As regards metallic wires, detachment generally involves breaking the line. Consequently, releasable attachments made at random along the length of the wire line are usually unsatisfactory because of the weakened condition in which the line is placed and the difficulty in removing an attachment when required.
A multitude of releasable connectors are known in the prior art, especially as it pertains to fishing apparatus. Some of these attachment devices include fishing line sinkers, hook attachment devices, and line release devices, all of which satisfy to some degree the various requirements of attachment apparatus in this art form. However, while entirely adequate for fishing purposes, such attachment apparatus falls considerable short of a general purpose type having useful application in other domestic and industrial applications.
It would appear that the attachment apparatus of the prior art performs reasonably well in achieving its principal object of making secure, releasable connections to a line, whether at an end thereof or intermediate along its length. There is, however, one application in which such apparatus are lacking. This occurs in those applications in which attachment apparatus is required to slip in one direction so that a line may be tightened thereby while holding the line securely from slipping in the opposite direction. This type of attachment apparatus would be useful in any application where slack in a line is taken up periodically as a result of a line stretching condition or where a constant line tension is to be applied as in the case of guying an upstanding structure with tension cables or when lashing down a load as on a flat-bed truck.